The Valley Vanguard (Vol. 44 No. 24)
10
Saginaw Valley State University’s student newspaper since 1967 Monday, April 2, 2012 Vol. 44 No. 23 news tips/press releases vanguard@svsu.edu newsroom (989) 964-4482 advertising (989) 964-4248 visit us online at valleyvanguardonline.com Michigan universities are facing a $4.2 million cut in federal aid. President Gilbertson said the cut is not expected to affect SVSU and won’t hurt a student’s ability to receive financial aid. Although the decreased federal aid will have little to no impact on the University, Gilbertson said decreased state university funding has not gone unnoticed. Today the University receives $23.5 million, almost $4 million less than it received a decade ago. Less funding ultimately means rising tuition costs, which can be daunting to students. Nursing sophomore Ali Deighton appreciates that SVSU has the lowest tuition out of the 15 public universities in the state, and she would hate to see that change. She chose to attend SVSU because of the nursing program, but low tuition cost was on her mind as well. “It was definitely something I really considered highly,” Deighton said. Her parents are helping her pay, but she understands how quickly costs add up. “It’s important to me to be conscientious that they still have two other kids’ educations to pay for,” she said. Jacob Howe, computer science freshman said the low tuition cost was his deciding factor when selecting a college. Fewer student loans seemed like a major plus to him. “You have to pay it back eventually,” Howe said. “The less you have to take, the less you have to pay back.” Gilbertson said the University has already taken penny-pinching actions to keep cost of attendance low. One of the biggest money savers is the tight schedule for classes. There is a reason it’s difficult to register for desired classes before they fill up. “The best way for us to control cost is to be sensible about what we’re offering,” Gilbertson said. He said carefully planning the number of sections for courses ensures there isn’t unnecessary money spent. The University offers few graduate programs and instead places its focus on undergraduates, which is another reason cost stays low. The fairly new campus was built to be energy efficient, which Gilbertson said saves money, as well. He said students should be conscious about conserving energy, too. Gilbertson said keeping thermostats turned down whenever possible and remembering to turn off lights in dorms are simple money saving tricks students might not take into account. “Anything that helps save us money helps keep tuition low,” Gilbertson said. He said that he encourages on-campus residents to go to class on foot, as it costs money to create more parking spaces. Also, if individuals refrain from littering, no money needs to be spent cleaning it up. All these actions help soften the blow of state cuts, which Gilbertson surmises will begin to diminish in the future as the economy begins to turn around. State cuts or not, Gilbertson said he is optimistic about tuition staying relatively where it is. However, inflation will always play a small part. “We can’t stop inflation,” Gilbertson said. “Prices go up.” If and when state cuts minimize, the University’s money saving tactics will put them one step ahead. By Andrea McBride vanguard staff Writer Hoodie march; Remembering Trayvon Martin SA candidates talk issues University funding cuts Vanguard photo | Sean Dudley Last week over 200 students walked across campus, with their hoods up, to protest the death of Trayvon Martin. University President Eric Gilbertson comments on the state funding cuts to Michigan colleges and what SVSU and students can do to keep funding. There will be a debate in the Ott Auditorium at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The public is welcome to attend. Voting takes place online from 8 p.m. Tuesday until noon on Friday. Voting is online. Name: Ted Goodman Name: Justin Kokkinis Many are aware about the Occupy Wall Street movement that has spread across the nation. Another heartfelt organization is looking to start occupying something else. Occupy Love is a new registered student organization (RSO) at the University that grew out of a community proposal project in one social work class. It involves loving yourself and every individual no matter a person’s race, religion or sexual preference. “We want to have SVSU produce social workers that are promoting change,” said Victor Hunter, vice president and social work senior. The organization hopes to create a community that is based in an origin of love, hope, belief and action. “To me, it’s a movement of people trying to take a society from being individualistic, where people care about themselves, to a collective society,” Hunter said. For them, love was the answer. “I haven’t found a person yet that doesn’t hold it virtuous or sacred,” said Seth Patrick, president and social work senior. To create a visual presence, the group is selling heart buttons that contain the word “occupy.” “It’s a simple idea, yet it can be so strong,” Patrick said. Supporters receive a hug from whoever sold it. Every time a member sees another person wearing the button, they are encouraged to hug each other as well. “Giving hugs is an open invitation of letting others know that there is someone out there that isn’t afraid to show you that they care,” said social work senior Phylicia Allen. Profits will go toward a scholarship, statue or more buttons for others to join the movement. According to Patrick, everything started in the last two weeks. The group has more than 200 members. “We’re aiming for changing mindsets,” Allen said. “There are only a select few who will truly understand and accept what Occupy Love is all about.” Membership of the organization and movement is represented by the number of buttons sold. Active members need only promote a message of love. “We’re a society,” Hunter said. “We should act like one.” It is looking to gather members willing to make a change, and spread awareness in the Tri-Cities area. “We’re living in a world where money is the belief in charge,” Patrick said. “We’re losing touch with community.” Hoping to bring additional awareness to SVSU, the group hopes to collaborate with the Student Social Work Organization as well as other RSOs. “The question is, what is love to you and how do you Occupy Love in your life,” Patrick asked. By Tyler Bradley vanguard staff Writer Love bridges divisions Vanguard photo | Tyler Bradley Occupy Love looks to create a loving campus community. Just like dozens of protests that have sprouted up across the country in the last two weeks, SVSU was the scene of a student-led rally on Wednes- day, March 28, designed to spread awareness about the death of Trayvon Martin. Martin was a 17-year-old shot and killed on Feb. 26 fol- lowing a confrontation with George Zimmerman, a 28-year- old neighborhood watch vol- unteer, in Sanford, Fla. Martin was unarmed, car- rying a bag of Skittles and a can of iced tea he purchased from a convenience store back to his father’s girlfriend’s home. Participants walked from Curtiss Hall to the 7-Eleven at Bay and Pierce roads. “We need to stop fighting in politics, neighborhoods and with each other,” said Tonya Smith, communication senior. There have been nation- wide protests since Martin’s death because Zimmerman had, as of press time, not been arrested. “We have tried tough on crime initiatives and they have not worked,” said Smith. Question 1: In your opinion, what are the top three priorities of Student Association? Ted: I don’t think we can limit our top priorities to just three, but the following comes to mind when I step back and reflect on the past year. 1. Increasing our (Student Association) exposure to the campus community. Before we can create constructive, positive change on this campus, we as an organization must get our message out to the student body. Our message must be clear and consistent, and it must reflect the wishes of the student body. We as an organization must renew our commitment to serving the SVSU student body. 2. Registered Student Organization (RSO) Allocations is one of our main programs each year, and I understand the importance of these allocations. Student organizations rely on our allocations to fund conference visits, competitions and other programs that are sometimes pricey. If re-elected, I will make sure our allocations process is fair and easy to navigate for the RSO’s that apply for funding. 3. Defending student interests is also a critical responsibility of Student Association. The administra- tion has done a good job of including student leaders in the decision-making process when it comes to new policies, but sometimes the students who are participating in the process fail to communicate with the student body. This can sometimes lead to policy decisions that do not take into account the majority opinion of students. It comes down to communication. If re-elected, I will be proposing a system that streamlines communication between Student Association and the student body. Justin: Student Association’s top three priorities in my opinion are, providing leadership and rep- resentation for the student body, advocacy on behalf of the students of SVSU and increasing student involvement. If we truly represent the students, we need to be the ones that help students when there is a conflict with faculty and administration. If we are to act as elected representatives of the student body we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. We need to be the change we want to see at Saginaw Valley. If we want students to be more involved, students need to see SA members more involved around campus. We need to see SA members at all kinds of events. Question 2: If you are elected, what changes do you hope to bring to Stu- dent Association? Ted: There is a lot I hope to change this coming year, and many of these changes were proposed last year when I ran. We have had some success in bringing about change, but it’s a long term process. As everyone knows, institutional change is often slow, and impeded by those satisfied with the “status quo.” The following are a few specific changes I would like to bring to Student Association. 1) No more “drawn” posters. When we advertise for events, scholarship opportunities, etc, I would like to see us using the printing center, instead of hand drawing signs. I think this brings a more professional feel to our organization. See ELEcTiOn, A3 Energy efficiency Focus on undergrad programs Tight schedule for classes Flip to A9 for a recap about this year’s Special Olympics competition.
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The Valley Vanguard newspaper
Transcript of The Valley Vanguard (Vol. 44 No. 24)
Saginaw Valley State University’s student newspaper since 1967Monday, April 2, 2012 Vol. 44 No. 23
news tips/press releases [email protected] newsroom (989) 964-4482 advertising (989) 964-4248 visit us online at valleyvanguardonline.com
VALLEYTHEVANGUARD
Michigan universities are facing a $4.2 million cut in federal aid.
President Gilbertson said the cut is not expected to affect SVSU and won’t hurt a student’s ability to receive financial aid.
Although the decreased federal aid will have little to no impact on the University, Gilbertson said decreased state university funding has not gone unnoticed.
Today the University receives $23.5 million, almost $4 million less than it received a decade ago.
Less funding ultimately means rising tuition costs, which can be daunting to students.
Nursing sophomore Ali Deighton appreciates that SVSU has the lowest tuition out of the 15 public universities in the state, and she would hate to see that change.
She chose to attend SVSU because of the nursing program, but low tuition cost was on her mind as well.
“It was definitely something I really considered highly,” Deighton said.
Her parents are helping her pay, but she understands how quickly costs add up.
“It’s important to me to be conscientious that they still have two other kids’ educations to pay for,” she said.
Jacob Howe, computer science freshman said the low tuition cost was his
deciding factor when selecting a college. Fewer student loans seemed like a major plus to him.
“You have to pay it back eventually,” Howe said. “The less you have to take, the less you have to pay back.”
Gilbertson said the University has already taken penny-pinching actions to keep cost of attendance low.
One of the biggest money savers is the tight schedule for classes.
There is a reason it’s difficult to register for desired classes before they fill up.
“The best way for us to control cost is to be sensible about what we’re offering,” Gilbertson said.
He said carefully planning the number of sections for courses ensures there isn’t unnecessary money spent.
The University offers few graduate programs and instead places its focus on undergraduates, which is another reason cost stays low.
The fairly new campus was built to be energy efficient, which Gilbertson said saves money, as well.
He said students should be conscious about conserving energy, too.
Gilbertson said keeping thermostats turned down whenever possible and remembering to turn off lights in dorms are simple money saving tricks students might not take into account.
“Anything that helps save us money helps keep tuition low,” Gilbertson said.
He said that he encourages on-campus residents to go to class on foot, as it costs money to create more parking spaces. Also, if individuals refrain from littering, no money needs to be spent cleaning it up.
All these actions help soften the blow of state cuts, which Gilbertson surmises will begin to diminish in the future as the economy begins to turn around.
State cuts or not, Gilbertson said he is optimistic about tuition staying relatively where it is. However, inflation will always play a small part.
“We can’t stop inflation,” Gilbertson said. “Prices go up.”
If and when state cuts minimize, the University’s money saving tactics will put them one step ahead.
By Andrea McBride vanguard staff Writer
Hoodie march; Remembering Trayvon Martin
SA candidates talk issues
University funding cuts
Vanguard photo | Sean Dudley
Last week over 200 students walked across campus, with their hoods up, to protest the death of Trayvon Martin.
University President Eric Gilbertson comments on the state funding cuts to Michigan colleges and what SVSU and students can do to keep funding.
There will be a debate in the Ott Auditorium at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The public is welcome to attend.
Voting takes place online from 8 p.m. Tuesday until noon on Friday.
Voting is online.Name: Ted Goodman Name: Justin Kokkinis
Many are aware about the Occupy Wall Street movement that has spread across the nation. Another heartfelt organization is looking to start occupying something else.
Occupy Love is a new registered student organization (RSO) at the University that grew out of a community proposal project in one social work class.
It involves loving yourself and every individual no matter a person’s race, religion or sexual preference.
“We want to have SVSU produce social workers that are promoting change,” said Victor Hunter, vice president and social work senior.
The organization hopes to create a community that is based in an origin of love, hope, belief and action.
“To me, it’s a movement of people trying to take a society from being individualistic, where people care about themselves, to a collective society,” Hunter said.
For them, love was the answer.
“I haven’t found a person yet that doesn’t hold it virtuous or sacred,” said Seth Patrick, president and social work senior.
To create a visual presence, the group is selling heart buttons that contain the word “occupy.”
“It’s a simple idea, yet it can be so strong,” Patrick said.
Supporters receive a hug from whoever sold it.
Every time a member sees another person wearing the button, they are encouraged to hug each other as well.
“Giving hugs is an open invitation of letting others know that there is someone out there that isn’t afraid to show you that they care,” said social work senior Phylicia Allen.
Profits will go toward a scholarship, statue or more buttons for others to join the movement.
According to Patrick, everything started in the last two weeks.
The group has more than 200 members.
“We’re aiming for changing mindsets,” Allen said. “There are only a select few who will truly understand and accept what Occupy Love is all about.”
Membership of the organization and movement is represented by the number of buttons sold.
Active members need only promote a message of love.
“We’re a society,” Hunter said. “We should act like one.”
It is looking to gather members willing to make a change, and spread awareness in the Tri-Cities area.
“We’re living in a world where money is the belief in charge,” Patrick said. “We’re losing touch with community.”
Hoping to bring additional awareness to SVSU, the group hopes to collaborate with the Student Social Work Organization as well as other RSOs.
“The question is, what is love to you and how do you Occupy Love in your life,” Patrick asked.
By Tyler Bradley vanguard staff Writer
Love bridges divisions
Vanguard photo | Tyler Bradley
Occupy Love looks to create a loving campus community.Just like dozens of protests
that have sprouted up across the country in the last two weeks, SVSU was the scene of a student-led rally on Wednes-day, March 28, designed to spread awareness about the death of Trayvon Martin.
Martin was a 17-year-old shot and killed on Feb. 26 fol-lowing a confrontation with George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old neighborhood watch vol-unteer, in Sanford, Fla.
Martin was unarmed, car-rying a bag of Skittles and a can of iced tea he purchased from a convenience store back to his
father’s girlfriend’s home.Participants walked from
Curtiss Hall to the 7-Eleven at Bay and Pierce roads.
“We need to stop fighting in politics, neighborhoods and with each other,” said Tonya Smith, communication senior.
There have been nation-wide protests since Martin’s death because Zimmerman had, as of press time, not been arrested.
“We have tried tough on crime initiatives and they have not worked,” said Smith.
Question 1:
In your opinion, what are the top three priorities of Student Association? Ted: I don’t think we can limit our top priorities to just three, but the following comes to mind when I step back and reflect on the past year.1. Increasing our (Student Association) exposure to the campus community. Before we can create constructive, positive change on this campus, we as an organization must get our message out to the student body. Our message must be clear and consistent, and it must reflect the wishes of the student body. We as an organization must renew our commitment to serving the SVSU student body.2. Registered Student Organization (RSO) Allocations is one of our main programs each year, and I understand the importance of these allocations. Student organizations rely on our allocations to fund conference visits, competitions and other programs that are sometimes pricey. If re-elected, I will make sure our allocations process is fair and easy to navigate for the RSO’s that apply for funding.3. Defending student interests is also a critical responsibility of Student Association. The administra-tion has done a good job of including student leaders in the decision-making process when it comes to new policies, but sometimes the students who are participating in the process fail to communicate with the student body. This can sometimes lead to policy decisions that do not take into account the majority opinion of students. It comes down to communication. If re-elected, I will be proposing a system that streamlines communication between Student Association and the student body. Justin: Student Association’s top three priorities in my opinion are, providing leadership and rep-resentation for the student body, advocacy on behalf of the students of SVSU and increasing student involvement. If we truly represent the students, we need to be the ones that help students when there is a conflict with faculty and administration. If we are to act as elected representatives of the student body we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. We need to be the change we want to see at Saginaw Valley. If we want students to be more involved, students need to see SA members more involved around campus. We need to see SA members at all kinds of events.
Question 2:If you are elected, what changes do you hope to bring to Stu-dent Association?Ted: There is a lot I hope to change this coming year, and many of these changes were proposed last year when I ran. We have had some success in bringing about change, but it’s a long term process. As everyone knows, institutional change is often slow, and impeded by those satisfied with the “status quo.” The following are a few specific changes I would like to bring to Student Association.1) No more “drawn” posters. When we advertise for events, scholarship opportunities, etc, I would like to see us using the printing center, instead of hand drawing signs. I think this brings a more professional feel to our organization.
See ELEcTiOn, A3
Energy efficiency
Focus on undergrad programs
Tight schedule for classes
Flip to A9 for a recap about this year’s Special Olympics competition.
The Valley Vanguard 125 Curtiss Hall campuseditorsBrandy aBraham and joshua j. roesner e-mails [email protected] and [email protected] office (989) 964-4482
News coverage continued from page 1
Page A2| Monday, April 2, 2012 | valleyvanguardonline.com | The Valley Vanguard
svsu.edu/vanguard valleyvanguardonline.com
valleyvanguardonline.com
aboutussince 1967, The valley vanguard has provided coverage of campus and communiTy happenings To sTudenTs, faculTy, sTaff and communiTy residenTs free of charge. an online ediTion of The paper is availaBle aT valleyvanguardonline.com and is updaTed weekly during The fall and winTer.
publishingThe vanguard is puBlished By The sTudenTs of saginaw valley sTaTe universiTy weekly in The fall and winTer semesTers, wiTh one issue puBlished in The summer. our office is locaTed in curTiss 125 on The campus of svsu, aT 7400 Bay road, universiTy cenTer, mi 48710.
advertisingall adverTising inquiries should Be direcTed To david solce aT [email protected] or (989) 964-4248.
(989) 964-4248 nickWigfield, Business manager
davidsolce,adverTising manager
The Valley Vanguard
(989) 964-4482
toniboger, ediTor-in-chief
Joshhartley,design ediTor
brandyabraham,campus ediTor
Joshuaroesner,campus ediTor
courtenaypoWell, copy ediTor
Justinbrouckaert,sporTs ediTor
mollyyoung, a&e ediTor
Jessieellison,phoTo ediTor
chrisoliver, weB ediTor
correctionsandadditionsif you see an error, please leT us know as soon as possiBle By conTacT-ing ediTor-in-chief Toni Boger aT (989) 964-4482 or [email protected]. in addiTion To prinTing a correcTion in our prinT ediTion, The online version of The sTory will reflecT The correcTion.
policebriefs
Police briefs are written according to reports from University Police. These indicate preliminary descriptions of events and not necessarily actual incidents.
Larceny•At4:30p.m.Monday,March19,twored
flagsoutsideofCurtissHallwerestolen.SVSUhadrentedthemfromanothercom-pany.Thecaseisunderinvestigation.
Unlawful driving•OnSunday,March25,a60-year-old
malecametoSVSUtoumpiregames.Hebroughta25-year-oldmalewithhim.Afterthemalegotdoneumpiring,hereturnedtotheparkinglotandhiscarwasnotthereandneitherwasthe25-year-oldmale.OfficersfoundthevehicleinDetroit,andtwopeopleinthecarwerearrested.Thecaseisunderinvestigation.
Trespassing•At7:15p.m.Tuesday,March27,a24-year-
oldmale,nonstudentwasarrestedfortrespassingintheStudentCenter.Hehadreceivedano-trespassletteraweekago.
Harassment•At5:40p.m.Tuesday,March27,twofemale
studentswenttopoliceandreportedthattheyhadbeenharassedthroughFacebookandTwitterbysevenotherfemales.Officersmadecontactwiththefemaleswhothendeniedallallegations.Thesevenfemalesreportedthatthetwootherfemalesstoletheirwhiteboard;however,videosurveil-lanceshowedthatitwasnotthem.Thecaseisstillunderinvestigation.
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Play Station 3 or $250 off your first month’s
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News and events from on and around campus
The Valley Vanguard | valleyvanguardonline.com | Monday, April 2, 2012 | Page A3
courtyardthe
The Valley Vanguard 125 Curtiss Hall campuseditorsBrandy aBraham and joshua j. roesner e-mails [email protected] and [email protected] office (989) 964-4482
svsu.edu/vanguard valleyvanguardonline.com
‘Colorful’ performers
Information about stress has never been so relieving.
On Wednesday, March 28, the Ryder Center held the seventh annual Healthy U Wellness Fair. Dozens of booths representing the medical com-munity of the Tri-Cities area arrived to help inform students about the benefits and simplicity of stay-ing healthy in an unhealthy world.
Cynthia Bala, coordinator of the Wellness Fair and associate director of Human Resources, said she understands the importance of health informa-tion.
“What you don’t know can hurt you,” Bala said. “Education and prevention are key to living longer, healthier lives.”
Of the booths at the fair, free testing for glu-cose, cholesterol, blood pressure and bone density were available.
A common issue tmany students overlook is stress and its effect on the body.
Several representatives at the fair commented on this growing problem, including Debbie Best, a nutritionist who helped run the cholesterol test-ing. She said finance issues contribute heavily to the undesired stress.
“One of the factors is stress from the economy, people losing jobs,” Best said. “Junk food is just cheaper.”
Lack of money may not be the only cause of unhealthy mental frustration.
Nicole Barens, biology senior, said there are multiple health benefits to visiting a chiropractor. She had her spine checked during the fair.
“It relieves unneeded stress,” Barens said. “My mother swears by her chiropractor.”
Cathy Devendorf, from the Chippewa Nature
Center in Midland, emphasized the importance of simply relaxing and having some fun.
“We want to encourage people to just go out and walk,” Devendorf said. “It reduces stress by enjoying nature.”
At the Nature Center, there are many relax-ing activities, including a Wildflower Walkway and the Sugarhouse that lets visitors watch as they make their own maple syrup.
“The Nature Center is perfect for someone looking for a place that is free and open seven days a week,” Devendorf said.
Another way to relieve stress is through exer-cise and consistent movement.
Freshman Jason Ralya said he feels like this does not have to be mentally strenuous.
“Look at how our country is right now,” Ralya said. “Exercising should be fun.”
He said that students should go out and find something they enjoy. It does not have to be a sport or club, just something that gets the body moving.
However, freedom from stress was not the only point stressed at the fair.
Madison Goodroe, social work sophomore, represented the Sexual Assault Center of Saginaw. Goodroe provided statistics collected from the cen-ter.
For example, she said that one in four women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. She also commented on how her recent activity at the cen-ter has been a life changing experience.
“It opens your eyes to humanity in general,” Goodroe said. “It really blows your mind.”
A healthier body is also a less stressed body. Relieving some of that pressure with exercise and healthy food habits could be the best option.
“If the resources made available at the Well-ness Fair prevents a student from having a cata-strophic medical episode … that is the best we can hope for,” Bala said.
On Saturday and Sunday, 105 schools from Michigan, Ohio, Canada and Illinois gathered at the Cardinal Gym for the 37th annual Michigan Color Guard Circuit (MCGC) Championship competition.
About 70 units competed in the color guard champi-onship, using skills of flag, rifle and dance on Saturday. Thirty percussion units used their instruments, dance, and in some cases, their voices, on Sunday.
Performances included themes such as writer’s block, the art of war, Halloween and bullying.
Stress elimination a big hit at Healthy UBy Matt Ostrandervanguard staff Writer
Vanguard Photo I Seam Dudley
Last weekend, students from the Midwest and Canada competed in the 37th annual color guard competition. Performers showed their skills in flag, rifle and dance.
2) Better communication both internally and externally. I think we need to review our methods of communi-cation both internally, and externally. Lack of communication is often a concern in all types of organizations, but our organization answers to nearly 11,000 college students, and possesses a budget exceeding $150,000.00, which means we have a strong responsibility of keeping the students in the loop.3) This is not a specific change, but I would really like to re-evaluate virtually every aspect of Student Associa-tion, and I am hoping to leave the Association in a better position to represent the students and their interests.Justin: I hope to bring increased transparency and accountability to the association, more visibly active leadership and action on behalf of the student body. I want students to be able to walk by our office and know what SA does for SVSU. I plan to hold regular press conferences. I will personally attend a wide range of events, and encourage SA members to do the same.
Question 3:What experience would you bring to the position of president? Ted: I now have a year of Student Association presidential experience under my belt. With a year under my belt, I now know what to expect, and I can plan the next year out even better than last summer. There is no “how-to video” when it comes to Student Government president, and so I can now rely on a year’s worth of experience, which is something I did not have a year ago. As a sophomore, I was brought in as a student manager at the Marketplace (Formerly the RFoC). As a student manager, you have to earn the respect of over 60 fellow students. You can attend all the leadership seminars known to man, but nothing prepares you for leadership like firsthand experience.As a freshman, I was elected to President of the College Republicans, and I helped coordinate interns on the Rick Snyder for Gubernatorial campaign. As a leader, it is important to listen first. Titles mean nothing if you don’t have the respect of your colleagues. You must earn that respect by relating with those around you, plan-ning a course of action with everyone’s input, and then holding each other responsible for carrying out said plan of action.Justin: I have been in SA for two years. I have served on every standing committee (Campus Events, Legisla-tion and External Affairs, Allocations, Student Concerns and Public Information).I have also served on a successful grade grievance, an academic misconduct hearing board, and the Faculty library committee. During high school I was also in several leadership roles such as President of the Conserva-tion Club, Student Government Representative, Mock Trial Team Manager, among many other things.
Question 4: What do you consider to be some of your greatest accomplishments during your time at SVSU?Ted: I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about what my past accomplishments have been. I have been in-volved with numerous organizations on campus, and I have held numerous leadership positions. The thing is, time is constantly working against us, and one should not get caught up in the past. I guess my mindset is; what can I do today to improve the lives of the students? To be honest, maybe I am being too hard on myself, but to be honest, I spend much more time reflecting on past failures, than I do reflecting on past accomplish-ments. Hindsight is only 20/20 if you can look back and realize the mistakes you’ve made, and understand how you could have avoided said mistake. So, to answer the question, anytime I’ve been able to make a dif-ference in even just one student’s life, I’ve succeeded.Justin: Helping with two successful BoVs (Battle of The Valley), Anti Bullying week, Voter Registration, and many other events and efforts on behalf of the student body.
ElEctioncontinued from A1
Motivation lacking for cards
The counseling office encouraged students to “Stick with it!” on Tuesday, March 27.
Motivation is an espe-cially big issue with students during this time of year ac-cording to a presentation at the event.
There are two types of motivation, intrin-sic and extrinsic. In-trinsic motivation is when you are inter-ested in your classes and do well because of it. Extrinsic is when you force your-self to do the work. Extrinsic motivation seems to be a com-mon theme for stu-dents.
Ian MacMurray, secondary education history sophomore, said he understands extrin-sic motivation.
“I feel very unmotivat-ed,” he said. “I don’t want to do anything and I’m tired all the time.
“I just want to sit around, hang out with friends, do whatever besides homework.”
Seasonal Affective Dis-order was another topic cov-ered at the event.
Ace Humphrey, electri-cal engineering sophomore, definitely has felt some of the effects from this seasonal ailment.
“I haven’t felt motivated because the weather is get-ting much better,” he said. “Despite the ever-changing
weather as of late, it is a dis-traction, and since it’s near-ing the end of the year, I’m not focused at all.”
MacMurray recognizes that the weather can be an issue for some students pay-ing attention but says that his No. 1 concern is not relat-ed to what the forecast says.
“The weather has been really nice, and it’s gotten me to do more things, but
it doesn’t affect my motiva-tion,” he said. “I’ll do my homework the day before, but I haven’t skipped class because of the weather.”
There are ways to rid yourself of the “winter blues.” Staying active, going outside, eating healthy, sun-light, talking about it and seeking help are all ways to help yourself during this time of year. Although it is still hard to remain focused, Humphrey thinks he has found a way to balance work and play in a way that will keep him going.
“I go out less during the day, only for class or to eat,” he said. “During the day I study, and I work out later at
night.”One last way to help im-
prove your motivation at the end of the school year is per-ception. The counseling of-fice’s presentation discussed how goals can be beneficial as long as you have self con-trol. Time management, self rewards and using what re-sources are available are also good things to try.
Ian Naughton, com-puter science junior, has found other ways to fight off any lack of motivation. His ways revolve around self-control and using goals.
“I ask myself a few questions,” he said. “Do I want to take these classes over again? Do I want to waste a semes-ter ’s tuition by not pass-ing? Do I really want to sacrifice my GPA for the sake of taking a mental vacation from school for
an evening?”For Naughton, doing
poorly because of a lack of motivation is not a choice.
“I guess the real trick is convincing yourself that procrastination and not studying are simply not op-tions,” he said.
Counseling Services is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thurs-days. The office can be con-tacted by email at [email protected].
By Joey Oliver vanguard staff Writer
“Despite the ever changing weather as of late, it is a distraction, and since it’s nearing the end of the year,
I’m not focused at all.”
Ace HumpHrey
electricAl engineering sopHomore
The Valley Vanguard 125 Curtiss Hall [email protected] editor-in-chiefToni Boger office (989) 964-4482 e-mail [email protected]
Page A4| Monday, April 2, 2012 | valleyvanguardonline.com | The Valley Vanguard
opinion
valleyvanguardonline.com
This week, we highlighted the recent campus peace march in honor of Trayvon Martin, a
17-year-old whose death has caused major controversy all over the nation.
As a board, we are conflicted about the case. Our feelings come from not knowing the details surrounding Martin’s death, and we freely admit that we do not know.
But this got us thinking: very few people know what happened. There are so many passionate responses about his death, especially in responses that call for George Zimmerman to be charged.
Even so, very few people know what happened that night, which makes the controversy surrounding the case so disconcerting to us.
Because we know so little, it’s difficult for us to have an informed opinion. We realize how tragic it is for someone die young, especially at the hands of another human being, but this doesn’t give us an excuse to have an uninformed opinion. Uninformed opinions do more harm than good, and in some cases, uninformed opinions can be dangerous.
We have made observations about the reactions to Martin’s death,
and this is something we are sure of: our nation still has problems we thought were gone. Racism is not a thing of the past. Racism is still present, and this case has brought that issue back into the spotlight.
But the racism we’ve seen is in the reaction. Almost immediately after news spread about Martin’s death, people claimed the shooting to be racially motivated. Zimmerman has been called a racist because he, a white man, shot a black teenager.
The only thing we can agree on is that the circumstances surrounding Martin’s shooting are still not clear, and they won’t be clear for some time. Experts have given their opinions on evidence presented thus far. For example, the video just released of Zimmerman shortly after the shooting neither proves nor disproves his claim that he shot
Martin in self defense. This vision is unique in the fact
that we do not have a definitive response to this situation. None of us know enough about the case to make a fair judgment or a decision.
We don’t know if there is a lesson from all of this. Perhaps the only thing we can take away at this point in time is that the justice system is in place for a reason. It is in place especially for situations like this, when people want to punish Zimmerman even when the facts aren’t clear. The justice system should be allowed to do its job, even if it takes some time.
We are cautious to jump to conclusions about what happened that evening, and we sincerely hope further investigation will reveal the truth about what happened that night.
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The Vanguard Vision | [email protected]
Spring is resume and cover letter season, as any writing tutor and career office adviser
can tell you. Applicants feel excited about
their prospects for summer jobs and internships, but they can face enormous pressure when asked to construct attractive professional documents free of distracting and embarrassing errors.
Statistics from the Rockport Institute show that employment opportunity can draw between 100 and 1,000 resumes. For all these submissions, employers grant an average of one interview for every 200 resumes.
As a Writing Center tutor, I meet many students enthusiastic about getting an interview with a company or nonprofit. Some writers worked with me in the composition of their first resumes, and others I advised have extensive work history with bachelor’s degrees.
When people describe the work they want to do and the field experiences they’re excited about, I want to do everything I can to help them realize their ambitions.
Together, we often consult resources such as sample resumes and cover letters alumni and faculty members donated. I also work with writers to apply such things as content guidelines, format templates and active verb lists from Career Services.
But I wondered what advice employers could give students.
After all, executives are the primary audience of these documents.
What could they tell me about the preferences of today’s employers and about the faults they find in applicants’ documents. What are the current trends, and what practices have
become old fashioned?I decided to find out.
Through interviews and informal surveys, employers shared their points of view.
When it comes to resumes, several employers told me readability is their first concern.
Joyce Hynes of Means Industries, for example, says she prefers resumes that are “easy to read with clear and concise highlights.”
“When you are getting a large volume of resumes, important data can be overlooked because it has to be waded through,” she says. “Make information categories stand out. If it is easy I am actually going to read all of it.”
While Hynes says she prefers an objective specific to the company and employment position, other employers say an objective is not necessary.
They supported what Heather Rising, interim assistant director of career services, told me: many employers find the objective statement outdated.
My survey of area employers also found that while most employers still prefer employment history in chronological order, listing the month and day is an outdated practice.
Providing a year is sufficient, and if there is a gap in the employment history, employers may want more details.
If applicants are concerned about a noticeable gap in employment, Hynes and others suggest job titles such as mother, father or homemaker. Hynes says, “It explains the break just fine.”
For example, one job candidate indicated that for eight months he took various odd jobs such as snow plowing and light carpentry while seeking full-time employment. Some applicants list
the job title primary care giver for grandparent or parent under work history.
Employers also said students should always put their names, addresses and phone numbers on each resume page they send. This way if employers lose any of the pages, they can still contact the person.
Nearly all the employers I contacted prefer a brief, memorable story to demonstrate the applicant qualities they desire and describe in the job posting.
Randolph L. Stevens, the president and CEO of career marketing and outplacement firm R. L. Stevens & Associates Inc., also pointed out additional problems with applicants’ documents.
Stevens says many resumes and cover letters fail to reflect applicants’ knowledge of the company or of the industry in general. He says employers want applicants to demonstrate their awareness of a company’s strengths and weaknesses, growth opportunities and competitors.
Applicants should also show a progression in their employment history, says Stevens, an indication they have taken on additional responsibilities and duties with each position held.
Finally, I learned it is increasingly common for applicants to ask people listed as references in their professional documents to contact employers directly on their behalf. Employers tend not to view this initiation of contact to be too forward.
Students should take advantage of the services the University provides for assistance with these professional documents, but they should also heed the advice employers freely offer when asked.
The issue - The shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin has made national headlines and inspired numerous protests.
Our position - The facts surrounding the shooting are still unclear, which is why we must trust the justice system in determining the best course of action.
Sprucing up the resume in the spring
Martin shooting leaves many unanswered questions, some puzzling reactions
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Columnist | Noah Essenmacher
Noah Essenmacheris the Vanguard weekly columnist. Reach him at [email protected].
Editorial Cartoon Rashad Baiyasi is a physics and chemistry junior and the Vanguard’s cartoonist. Reach him at [email protected].
Senioritis.Idaresay,Ihavesenioritis.Whilesomemayscoff(Idon’tknowifanyonedoes,butinmyheadtheydo),IknowthisissomethingrealbecauseIfeelit–inmybody–actuallyhappening.However,I’vethoughtaboutwhyitishappeningandthisistheconclusionIhavefornow:Iamtryingtosimultaneouslyliveinthepast,present,andfuture.
Ihaveonly4weeksleftatSVSU.NotsayingthatI’llnevercomeback,butI’llneverbeabletocomebackinthesameway–asanundergraduatestudent.Andso,withonly4weeksleft,Iameagerlyawaitinggraduation,movingfor-ward,andgettingajobwhereIfeelneededinsomeway.Inthese4weeks,Iaminlivingpartiallyinthattimetocome.IamtryingtothinkofwhereIwanttogonextandhowImightgetthere.
However,Ihaveonly4weeksleftatSVSUandIamtryingtomakesometimeforeveryonewhowantstospendtimewithme.ThereisonlyashortamountoftimethatIhaveleftwiththesepeopleandIwillmostlikelyneverseemanyofthemagain.Iwanttobeabletosharemytimewiththem.They’vehadanimpactongettingmetowhereI’matandIwanttobetheretohelpthemgettowheretheyneedtogo,too.
Andyet,Ihaveonly4weeksleftatSVSUandIamlookingbackovertheincredibleexperiencesthatI’vehadinthepast5years.SVSUhasreallybeenaplaceofgrowthforme.Imayhavebeenskepticalcomingin,butIknowthatthisistheplaceIwastrulysupposedtohavebeen.ThelifeI’velivedinthesepast5yearsishardtocomprehendattimes.IfindmyselfreminiscingovertimegonebyandhowithasimpactedthelifeIleadtoday.
Thus,atanygivenmoment,Iamlivinginthesethreeplacesatonce:reflectingonthepast,embracingthepresent,andpreparingforthefuture.Addingtothismentalsenseofhomelessness,completingassignmentsforclasshasbecomeeverdifficult.Withjust4weekstogo,the“ToDo”listisgrowingshorter.Theassignmentscertainlyaren’tgettingharder,butIknowthataseachgetscheckedoff–Igrownearertocompletingthisstageoflife.It’sasthoughI’mholdingontoeachassignmentwiththemostconcentratedforce,refusingtolettheseallslipaway–tryingtoexertsomesenseofcontrol.
So,senioritis–it’sathing.
Stacy StremlowHistory and international studies senior
Letter to the Editor
Some thoughts on senioritis
The Valley Vanguard 125 Curtiss Hall [email protected] editor-in-chiefToni Boger office (989) 964-4482 e-mail [email protected]
The Valley Vanguard | valleyvanguardonline.com | Monday, April 2, 2012 | Page A5
opinion
valleyvanguardonline.com
The most disappointing realization when first arriving at SVSU is that food services are rarely on their game.
Convenient suppliers, such as Albert E’s food court and the C Store, should work with the young community, but many customers leave dissatisfied because of multiple offenses.
Employees simply do not appear to be routinely managed by a manager or an employee with more seniority. It seems like the majority of Quizno’s subs I order take twice the time to prepare, mostly because the maker has no one to encourage him or her to work faster. I could not see these employees working so slow with management looking over their shoulders, their jobs actually depending on their performance.
The selection of food provided by Albert E’s promotes its diversity, but it subjects customers to unneeded redundancies. Take Papa John’s. Not only is there a station found in the food court, but there is a second location that sells the same pizza, only in different sizes. Why house a second Papa John’s when another brand could be implemented? This decision could be a campus-wide agreement. Taco Bell? Kentucky Fried Chicken? Maybe even a Panda Express? The possibilities are as intriguing as they are endless.
Similarly, the salad bar station has its own set of problems, stemming from its placement between some of the unhealthiest products. Why place a salad station right beside the Quizno’s line and in spitting distance of the Grill Works, where the smell of greasy onions and cheese is sure to lure students in who have little self control? I often find myself arriving looking for a salad, but I end up being led toward something much more fattening.
This leads me to my final dilemma with Albert E’s: the lone cashier who tends to the needs of the consistently hasty public. I
understand there are at least two cashiers at all times, but that does not mean that there are actually two working at all times. On many occasions, I am forced to stand in a singular line that stretches back to the Smoothie station, waiting for what seems like enough time for the sub in my hands to run cold.
This lack of available cashiers seems to have affected the C Store as well. How can it seem logical to have only one clerk when the convenience store is in one of the more populated areas on campus? It seems as if the reason why they abbreviated the “C” in the name is because there is no longer anything convenient about it. It takes just as long to stand in line and overpay for a meal than it does to ride a bike to the nearest 7-Eleven to obtain the same product for two-thirds the price.
So why do students continually visit Albert E’s and the C Store even though it turns out to be a hassle and heavy expense? Is it because parents pay for their meal plan along with the Declining Balance and they simply have to spend the money or lose it. Or worse yet, is it because there is not any other food service on campus that accept DB.
I guess the real question is this: why fix something if no one will confess that it’s broken?
While having a discussion during this past weekend, I learned
about a troubling bit of information. I learned while the number
of people filling up United States prisons has been alarming in the last few decades, the issue is actually much larger than I had known.
For every 100,000 citizens, 737 individuals are incarcerated in a United States jail or prison.
One cannot form much of an opinion about this sort of figure without a bit of contextual information, so we compare this to that of China, a nation with roughly four times the population of the U.S.
For every 100,000 Chinese citizens there are 111 people imprisoned.
Those who dabble in American politics will understand that rhetoric suggests China as being a “police state” with an authoritarian government as the last great Communist power left in the world.
While there is no doubt of the grip the Chinese government holds over its people, I am still left wondering exactly how the United States can call itself the “land of the free” when we imprison more people than anyone else in the world.
One of the major contributing factors is the “War on Drugs” that has been raging since the 1980s.
You could easily write pages upon pages on the ridiculous amount of money spent on this “war” as well as the ineffectiveness and overall hypocrisy of it.
Alcohol and cigarettes are certainly drugs. There is no doubt of their addictive properties and the severe negative effects of abusing these substances are.
Alcohol and tobacco are responsible for more American deaths each year than crack cocaine, marijuana and heroin combined. Yet these taxable drugs are freely available to anyone of age.
We’ve seen in the past that
prohibition is rather ineffective when dealing with addictive substances.
One only has to go as far as the era of alcohol prohibition in the United States that lasted from 1920 until 1933 to see the ineffectiveness of such policy.
Instead of fighting crime and reducing it, the policy helped coin the era as the era of gangsters in America.
Today, we can look at the amount of money and power various drug cartels throughout Central and South America hold to see the effect of our policies.
The second major contributing factor to this large rate of imprisonment in the United States is the recent privatization of prisons.
Instead of the state or federal government owning and operating prisons, private companies and individuals have control.
Not only are more prisons becoming privatized, but they generate a significant amount of money in doing so.
From tax breaks to producing goods using prisoner labor, there is a growing industry stemmed from getting more people behind bars.
This second issue is more frightening than failed policy in my eyes. The fact that in America, money is power, as well as free speech, and money can be generated easily by locking people up.
We’ve seen before that when the potential for profit is there, individuals and companies are driven
to make more of it. From here, I see individuals
with money and power attempting to lobby for their agenda to our representatives. Their agenda is to get more American citizens behind bars.
From there, our representatives pass laws that allow more people to be arrested and imprisoned for small offenses.
The only focus our justice system should have is to bring those guilty of crimes to justice and if possible, rehabilitate those who have the potential to be reintroduced to society.
With incentives to keep more people incarcerated for longer amounts of time in place, the idea of rehabilitation goes out the window.
Once again, the system is not catering to the wants and needs of the American people, but rather to those who have the money and power to push their agendas.
I feel that it is the duty of the American people to fight back against the privatization of prisons and focus not on incarceration, but on rehabilitation.
American citizens should not be subject to being imprisoned by those not put in power in a democratic way.
Perhaps in the future proper prison reform will be on the agenda and I hope that our nation moves away from the current direction we’re going and instead focuses on rehabilitating those who break the law.
Somehow, we have to find a way to bring down our massive number of people incarcerated. Holding roughly 5 percent of the world’s population isn’t too noticeable, yet holding 25 percent of the world’s imprisoned population is, and that is where we rank as a nation.
Vanguard Staff Writer | Opinion
Dissatisfaction with dining services Growing prison population result of failed policy, want of profit
Chris Oliver is a PTW/history sophomore and a Vanguard Staff Writer. Reach him at [email protected].
Matt Ostrander is a secondary education sophomore and a Vanguard Staff Writer. Reach him at [email protected]
Vanguard Staff Writer | Opinion
Religious CounselingChristian counseling/Life coaching - Relationships, stress, addiction, more. Call Larry Hoard B.A. 989-842-3982. christianlifecoaching.net.
op-edIf you are a faculty member wishing to write your opinion in The Valley Vanguard, please contact Editor-in-Chief Toni Boger at [email protected]
The Valley Vanguard valleyvanguardonline.com125 Curtiss Hall [email protected] A&EEditor Molly young officE(989) 964-4482 E-mAil [email protected]
Page A6| Monday, April 2, 2012 | valleyvanguardonline.com | The Valley Vanguard
a e&
Vanguard photos | Tyler BradleyStudents perform line dances and couple dances for Saturday’s Dance-A-Thon. Some participants danced for nearly eight hours until there was just one team still dancing. Dancers performed challenges, such as “turbo” dancing, in order to eliminate dance groups more quickly. Members of the winning pair, or the last two performers dancing at the end of the night, took home $100 each.
Couples with and without two left feet went toe to toe for prizes at Dance-A-Thon last Sat-urday.
For almost eight hours, several teams of two strived to be the longest dancing in the Thompson Student Activities Room.
Inspired by Jack’s Manne-quin’s music video for “Dark Blue,” Residence Housing As-sociation and Music ‘n Motion hosted the marathon of nonstop dancing.
Each group was allowed five 10-minute breaks to use the restroom, grab snacks or rest during the time period allotted.
Challenges occurred through-out the event to narrow down the competition.
Guests competed in line dance challenges where they would follow along to the “Ma-carena” or the “Turbo” on repeat without stopping.
After another challenge that showcased each group’s moves, teams voted on the least entertaining dancers, who were eliminated from the competi-tion.
The winning group received $100 each.
Alex Chrzan, automotive marketing sophomore, and Chris Gehrke, athletic training junior, prevailed over the other participants.
Prizes were also given out for the team with the best outfits and best moves.
Chrzan dressed as a bal-let dancer, and another guest dressed as Darth Vader.
The program was a fund-raiser for the RHA and Music ‘n Motion conferences.
Cost to participate was $4 with an RSVP and $6 at the door.
Dancing the night awayBy Tyler Bradleyvanguard staff writer
The Valley Vanguard valleyvanguardonline.com125 Curtiss Hall [email protected]
The Valley Vanguard | valleyvanguardonline.com | Monday, April 2, 2012 | Page A7
a e&
A&EEditor Molly young officE(989) 964-4482 E-mAil [email protected]
artbriefsLittle Shop of Horrors• At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, April 11 through April 14, in the Malcolm Field Theatre, members of the theater depart-ment will perform “Little Shop of Horrors.” The play is based on a 1960s film that detailed a flower shop in economic turmoil until a Venus Fly Trap attracted customers to the store. The conflict occurs when it is discovered that the plant feasts on human blood. Another showing will occur Sunday, April 15, at 3 p.m. Ages 18 and older. $10 students and seniors. $15 general.
First Thursdays• At 5 p.m. Thursday, April 5, downtown business in Bay City will host First Thursdays. First Thurs-days is a monthly art event where artists display their works, read their poetry or perform their music in local businesses of their choice. Visitors walk around and talk to artists and buy their pieces. Free.
Show at Hamilton St. Pub• At 10 p.m. Friday, April 27, Lifes-tory: Monologue, A Living Portrait, Vacuity and Loved Ones will play original music until 2 a.m. $3 for ages 21 and older. $6 for 20 and younger.
Vanguard photos | Tyler BradleyAbove: students react to drag show participants. Below: “Layde Bliss” and “Jackie Leigh Peters” accept donations from the audience during their performances.
“Attention drag queens!” This statement rang through the crowd several times last Friday night as performer April Devine motioned to the rest of the performers to re-turn to their dressing room.
Friday marked the Fifth Annual Charity Drag Show for AIDS Walk hosted in the Thompson Student Activities Room by Living Proud. The show was created in 2008 by Liz Calloway and Amanda Helton and has become a yearly tradition for Living
Proud. The group surpassed
their goal of $1,200, raising $1,576 with the help of the group Perceptions, Parents, Families and Friends of Les-bians and Gays (PFLAG), and local nightclub The Mixx, which helped advertise the event.
With a limit of 400 peo-ple, the room was almost at capacity with a total of 399 people including performers. While many in attendance were SVSU students, the ad-vertising succeeded at bring-ing many nonstudents to the performance.
Sean Dudley acted as
the host and offered a come-dic element in the breaks be-tween performances. Music and stereo equipment for the performers were provided by Cardinal Radio.
Thirteen performers took to the stage that night with both professionals and stu-dents offering their talents to the fundraiser. During each of the performers acts, he or she was able to collect donations from audience members. At the end of the night, which-ever performer collected the most money was crowned Miss, or Mister, SVSU.
Competitors performed popular songs under stage
names to raise money. Slow songs, such as “JonBenet’s“ performance of Adele’s “Ru-mour Has It,” and high-ener-gy, upbeat dances, such as the one given by Mercedes Delray to Nicki Minaj’s “Starships,” were performed.
After the completion of 26 performances, the drag performers took to the cat-walk for one final song as the donations they earned were counted.
The winner was “Missy,” making this her fourth con-secutive crowning as Miss SVSU. “Missy” was very humble about it and was in-credibly happy to partake in
the fundraiser.“Obviously I’m stunned,”
she said. “It’s just an honor to perform here.”
Missy also stated her re-spect for SVSU for allowing this event to be hosted on campus. While some univer-sities would shut down such events, Missy said, this ges-ture to the LGBTQ commu-nity garners a lot of respect for SVSU.
With a successful event behind her, third place win-ner “JonBenet” was thrilled by the turnout and is already looking towards the future.
“Hope to see you next year,” she said.
By Gerhardt Schuettevanguard staff writer
Fifth annual drag show a success
The Valley Vanguard valleyvanguardonline.com125 Curtiss Hall [email protected] editor Justin Brouckaert office (989) 964-2629 e-mail [email protected]
Page A8| Monday, April 2, 2012 | valleyvanguardonline.com | The Valley Vanguard
sports
Solid pitching and timely hitting are two ingredients for success that the SVSU softball team is hoping to blend togeth-er in the coming stretch.
Through the first half of the season, the SVSU women’s softball team has posted a 11-13 record, going 4-6 in conference play. Yet with most of the con-ference schedule remaining, the Lady Cardinals are looking
to improve and compete for a GLIAC Championship.
“So far we’re struggling to put together a lineup that works,” said Natalie Wellman, occupational therapy senior and utility player.
Along with trying to find a lineup that can score runs for the offense, Wellman says that combining solid pitching, of-fense and defense has been a challenge so far. As a team, the Lady Cardinals are batting .240 and have an on-base percent-age of .298 this season.
“We’ve had trouble com-bining offense with defense,” Wellman said. “We’re trying to focus on stringing hits to-gether and working on hitting with people on base.”
Combined with lack of synergy so far have been small mistakes and errors that Well-man said can and must be pre-vented.
“We know we’re good,” Wellman said. “We just have to put it all together.”
Despite the record, Well-man claims that the team is
remaining positive overall and that they fully expect to im-prove and bolster their record.
“People really aren’t get-ting down on themselves and everyone’s staying positive,” Wellman said. “Plus, there’s room for improvement and a lot of girls are learning from experience.”
Another positive factor for the team is the experience that many of the players bring to the table with ten upperclass-men on the team.
“We also have quite a few
girls with postseason experi-ence which will really help,” Wellman said.
She added that the team fully expects to make it to the postseason and go deeper than in the previous year, when it made the national semifinals.
To do so, they will have to fight through a tough second-half schedule that includes matchups against division-leader Grand Valley State and the second place Hills-dale Chargers in the next two weeks.
Wellman said the team feels prepared to do so, partly because of the atmosphere and mindset that the head coach, who took over this season, brings to the team.
“He’s a little different than our previous coach,” Wellman said. “He preaches about hav-ing fun, which means there’s not as much pressure.”
Along with solid coaching comes preparation, according to Wellman, who described the team’s practices as being “high energy” and helping the team keep up its good composure and “swag.”
As for individual game, Wellman said that she pushes herself in practice and on the field.
“I try to stay really fo-cused on the game,” Wellman said. “Just try to think about the game while you’re playing it.”
Wellman is hitting .313 with two home runs and seven runs batted in this season. In her second year on the team, she said she expects a lot from herself, and being a senior means sharing a leadership role with the other girls who have been playing for a while.
“You try to lead by ex-ample,” Wellman said. “Just be a quiet leader and show the other girls by working hard and setting high goals for yourself.”
Leadership also shifts from practice to the field for Wellman.
“We graduated some big hitters last year,” Wellman said. “So it can be tough going up there and expecting to get a hit plus everyone else expect-ing you to get a hit.”
The Lady Cardinals will be back in action at home Wednesday, April 4, to take on Lake Superior State at 1 p.m.
By Chris Olivervanguard staff Writer
Struggling veteran team stays positive
Vanguard Photo I Sean Dudley
Junior outfielder Jenna Holmes swings at a pitch in Sunday’s game against Northwood. Holmes went 4 for 11 with one walk and one RBI in the four-game weekend series.
Vanguard Photo I Sean Dudley
Junior pitch Alexa Gehrls delivers a pitch in Sunday’s loss to Northwood. Gehrls is 7-5 on the season with a 2.17 ERA.
Softball
The Valley Vanguard valleyvanguardonline.com125 Curtiss Hall [email protected]
sports editor Justin Brouckaert office (989) 964-2629 e-mail [email protected]
The Valley Vanguard | valleyvanguardonline.com | Monday, April 2, 2012 | Page A9
sports
For one junior baseball player, winning awards and be-ing recognized comes second to helping the team continue its winning ways.
Occupational therapy ju-nior Chet LaFave is the starting catcher for the Cardinals’ men’s baseball team. On March 26, La-Fave was selected as the GLIAC “Player of the Week.” After a weekend of play that included sweeping Hillsdale and going 4-8 with three doubles and four runs batted in, LaFave said he just wants to keep it up.
“I’m excited to win this award because it’s my first one,” LaFave said. “I had a re-ally good week, but at the same time, I just hope that I can keep hitting the ball and hitting the ball hard.”
Coming off their spring trip, the Cardinals haven’t lost a game. SVSU went 3-8 while playing in Florida, yet have posted a 7-1 record since com-ing back to Michigan.
LaFave credits great team chemistry and contributions from everyone as the primary
factors.
“Florida was really rough,” LaFave said. “But we’ve come back and we’re winning, the chemistry is good and we’re a good group of guys.”
LaFave is from Charlotte and originally turned down SVSU’s scholarship offer out of high school. After playing at South-ern Illinois for a year, however, he wanted to come back to Michi-gan. At SVSU, he’s played a piv-otal role both behind the plate and with the bat, hitting .308 this sea-son while anchoring the middle of the lineup.
He added that while catching is rough and physically demand-ing, he wouldn’t do anything else.
“I love it and I love the role I get to play,” LaFave said. “I get to be the spark of the team and behind the plate, I get to call the whole game, which keeps me thinking and in the game.”
LaFave credited his father when it came to his love of the catcher position.
“I’ve played baseball for as long as I could walk,” LaFave said. “My dad played catcher, and I’ve caught every game I’ve played since seventh grade.”
He also feels privileged to play baseball at the college level.
“I feel blessed to have made it this far playing my favorite
sport,” LaFave said. “It’s great to play in college and I’m very lucky because a lot of guys don’t get to make it this far.”
In addition to chemistry, La-Fave credited his success and the team’s success to the coaching and training staff. He said that preparation was key in keeping up performance on the field.
“You have to get a good workout three or four times a week and keep it up,” LaFave said. “A lot of times I’ll come in on our day off and work out just to make sure I’m ready for the week-end.”
At the plate, LaFave said he has set high goals for himself this year.
“I want to finish up batting at least .300 this year,” LaFave said. “I want to be that guy who can get on base and drive in runs.”
Behind the plate, LaFave ex-pects just as much.
“I expect to be ready every day and be that one guy that pitchers just love to throw to,” he said.
Outside of baseball, LaFave focuses on school, but says his fa-vorite hobbies involve being out-doors and in the woods.
“I really love to hunt,” he said. “Either bow hunting for deer or waterfowl hunting.”
Spring Special Olympics returns to Ryder Center
LaFave earns GLIAC honors in hot streak
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sportsbriefs
Player Profile
Vanguard Photo I Arianna Paver
Events at the spring games included the softball toss in addition to running and swimming races.
Vanguard Photo I Chris Oliver
Junior pitcher Chet LaFave was named GLIAC “Player of the Week” for the first time after last weekend’s series.
By Chris Olivervanguard staff Writer
By Adam Haenleinvanguard staff Writer
For the fifth straight year, stu-dents and volunteers helped host the Special Olympics at SVSU.
More than 300 athletes from Saginaw County participated Fri-day, March 30, in the Area 22 Special Olympics spring games at the Ryder Center.
Carol VanArsdale, the Special Olympics outreach coordinator and school liaison, worked with public schools and SVSU to help recruit vol-unteers and ultimately helped orga-nize the event.
According to special education junior Stephanie Cyrus, there were several volunteers who showed up to help participants during the games, including education, athletic training, nursing and occupational therapy majors.
“Each athlete (had) a one-on-one buddy whose responsibility is to be with them to support them,” Cyrus said. “I have volunteered as a one-on-one with athletes in the past, and I had an absolutely fantastic time.”
It is the job of the volunteers to go to each athlete’s event and cheer him or her on. In the past, there has been plenty of support from students through volunteering, advertising and monetary donations.
“This is a day all about the ath-letes,” said elementary education se-nior Kelsey Girardot. “This was my second year being involved in the
Special Olympics and not once have I seen an athlete or volunteer not en-joying themselves.”
Events at the spring games included the 50-, 100-, 200-, and 400-meter dashes, the 200- and 400-meter walks, wheelchair races, walker races, the 25-yard walk, soft-ball throw, shot put and standing long jump as well as freestyle and backstroke swimming, a new event this year.
“Basically, it’s our volunteers’ jobs to be positive support to the ath-letes,” Cyrus said. “I think it’s very important that we keep supporting this relationship between the spring games and the campus community.
“This is such a great experience for anyone and is definitely reward-ing at the end of the day.”
This year has been especially no-table for Cyrus because she is respon-sible for leading Cardinals for Special Olympics, a newly created registered student organization meant to sup-port the local games.
“I was very eager to start some-thing like this,” Cyrus said. “Having a student organization for the area games is definitely going to make things run smoothly when it comes to organizing the event in the future.”
Cyrus said the group has been successful this year thanks to the help of her board members: Maddie Bier-lein, Kelly Spooner, Kaitlyn Rye and Kelsey Girardot.
“It’s definitely been a long and exhausting process to start this RSO, but we are finally at a good spot,” Cyrus said. “I could not have done it
without the help of all the members and our adviser Gardner Umbarger.”
Cyrus said that it is important for SVSU to be involved in community activities such as the Special Olym-pics because it can be inspirational to others, and it shows that students and staff are dedicated to serving the com-
munity in which they live.“Being a special education ma-
jor, I know the importance of involv-ing students with disabilities in a controlled and positive environment where they’re free to be themselves and have fun,” Cyrus said.
Girardot said that hosting the
event is important for the volunteers and campus community, as well.
“I think it’s very important that SVSU is holding this event on cam-pus,” Girardot said. “It gives us all a chance to see what we are truly blessed for and not take things for granted.”
Vanguard Photo I Jess Ellison
Athletes compete in a running event during the Area 22 Special Olympics spring games Friday.
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